Weighing and i



Nov. 27, 1923.

D. F. LEPLEY WEIGHING AND LOADING APPARATUS FOR HOIS'I' SKIPS Filed Aug. 31, 19?? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l8 /4 /6 /7 w 1 1: 1 [3 /0 g Z .9 o 1? is 6 a .1 l

V Z L gnwnkw Nov. 27, 1923. 1,475,637

D.F.LEPLEY WEIGH ING AND LOADING APPARATUS FOR HOIST SKIFS Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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Application filed au ust 31, 1922. Serial il'o. 585,542.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, 'DANIEL'F. LnrnnrQ-a citizen of the United States, ,residing at Connellsville, in the coiulty of Fayette :and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and useful Weighing and Loading=Apparatus for Hoist skips 'of which the-following is a specifica'tion.- f 1-31 a This invention relates to appa'ratus for weighingcoal and for'directing it to; hoist kip i1 dump' minei cars-so thaflthe. load will bodelivered into .a; weigh pan? but the structures heretoforeem ployed have beemobjectionable because: theirr operation has:?depended-r.almost entirely-upon-,-proper counter-balancing. The weight o fithe coal has been-utilized to lower the panand toovercom'e the eounter- .wei ht employed to bring" the pan-back to loa in position'after being emptied. It often iappens, however,-;that.-;a partially loaded car isdisoharged into the-:pan and there isnot suflici'ent weight inytheiipanto overcome the counterbalance and :lower. the pan'to the pointgofdelivery.

- It has been-the-praetioe generally-to rovidethese lweigh pans with-brakes w 'ich serve to hold the pans against downward movement. When a brake iszreleasedathe weight of the coal in the pan will overcome the counterwei htshandcause the-pan to move downw ardly: When the-. pan reaches a predetermined point in its descent the brake is applied to hold the pan against further movement until its contents are discharged. The brake is then released and the counterweights will-bring the; an-baek to its upper or loadingposition. he m'ani ulation ofihisubrake: requires a very skilledoperaton inorder to avoid excessive speed and hammering of the-weights and an. r p

One of the objects of the presentinvenfeatures present in weighing apparatus that have heretofore utilizedravitymeans for opening and closing the ischargingimeans. I This is effected in; the present instance by :ineans whereby the actuation of the parts by power can be properly-controlled.

With the foregoing and other objects in view'which will "appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the cominationand arrangement of parts and in f the details of construction hereinafter described and. claimed,"it being understood that, within thesco'pe of what is clai'nied, changes in the'precise'embodiment of the inalthough it is to' be understood that other vention shown can bemade without'deparf-=-- It hasbeen?:thei=practicez heretofore-to Figure 1 is a view'partly' in elevation and partlyin seetion showing F the relative posi- 'tions of-the'parts while the wei h an 18 "in'loadingorreceivin position, t e gures being moreor lessin- 'agr'am,and showing -"a type of'pan formed of bodily'movable sec- "tions': '1' Fi re 2 is" a"-view -similar' to Figurej l,

- show1ng the relative positions of the parts during the delivery of the load from the JPBI'D.""

Figure 3 is'a plan view of the controlling "mechanism. I?

Figure 4 is a sectionthrough one form of 'has been illustrated in diagram only, the

engine employed for revolving-it being indicated generally at C-and the'supporting structure on which'the dump igmd its engine are mounted being; indicated at D. ""The rotarydum of the sea es. 3

Hangers2 extend downwardly from the platform '1 and pivotally connected 'to the lower ends thereof is the upper end of a downwardly and laterally extending chute 3 formingone section of the weigh pan. This chute has hangers 4 secured to the sides thereof near the lower or free end of the chute and said hangers are pivotallr mnnected at their upper cnfls. er: t in I is located below the platform 1 ers 6 fixedly secured to a" bug-list} 'Z -lorrning another member of the weigh p'an'. Bucket T is suspended at its outer or closed end by rods or cables 8 depending from the scales platform 1 and the hangers 4 and 6 are supported by rods or cables 9 attached to arms 10. These arms are secured between their ends to a transverse shaft 11 supported on the platform 1 and those ends of the arms remote from the supporting means-9 are provided with counterweights 12. A crank arm 13 is extended from the shaft 11 and is connected by toggle links 14 to a shaft 15 supported in suitable bearings 16 on platform 1. A stop 17 is adapted to be engaged by the toggle when the intermediate joint thereof is past the dead center, at which time the crank arm 13 will he held in its lowermost positioniand the arms 10 will be secured as shown in Figure 1 so as to support the pan withthc-open ends of the chute 3 and bucket 7; together as shown in said figure. I v j For the purpose of shifting the toggle'14 an engine indicated generally at 18 is mounts ed on the platform 1. This engineisipre'ferably formed with a power cyIjinder-19-zand a cushioning cylinder 20. The power cylinder has an-inlet port 21 at-each end, ai pressure supply .pipe 22 and :an: exhaustport 23. i A valve; 24 is provided 7 and is so constructed that "when: brought: to,-one position one of the ports 21 will be placed in; communication with i the supply 7 pipe 22 a while the other port 21 will beplaced in communication with the exhaust port-23. When the valve is brought to its other position, however, the flow of pressure willvbe reversed. Valve 24 can be operatedby any suitable means, such as s leven 25. w The cushioning cylindenQ O beam-bypass 26 extending from one end tDrrthQwg'QtbBI thereof and providedwithawalvefllfwlitereby the flow of fluid. through the bypassican be controlled. This valveis ,to be operated by means of a lever 28 or any other suitable means provided. for thatpurpose? 8:

- A rod 29 is attached to the middle joint of the toggle 14 and is.moun'ted fonreciprocation within the two cylinders l and 20. .wA piston 30 is secured to this rod and adapted to reciprocate in cylinder-'19 while/another piston-31 is secured to ithejrod and adapted to work within the cylinder 20. Cylinder 20 is to be filled with oil or other-cushioning fluid and will obviously check ther'no'vement of the pistons, thespeed. of movement being controlled by the valve 27.

A chute 32 is arranged under. the weigh pan so as to receive material delivered therefrom, this chute serving to direct the delivered material into the hoist skip or other receptacle provided.

Under normal conditions the weigh pan is supported in raised position as shown in Eignre 1, the pressure of-ifluid against piston 2A serving to hold the arms 10 inclined as shown in said figure so as properly to sup port the meeting portions of the two parts 'of the weigh pan. A's'the intermediate joint of the toggle 14 is oil center and hear 'ing against the stop 17 the weigh pan will be supported properly even though the pressure should fail. When a car is directed into the rotary dump B said dump is actuated in the usual or any preferred manner so that the contents of the car will be directed into the upper inclined portion of the chute 3 and thence to the lower portion of the weigh pan made up of the parts 3 and 7. .-\s the weigh pan is held securely against move ment there will be no pounding 0r vibra tion of the parts during this operation. The .weight of the coal or other material delivered to the pan will be applied to the platform 1 and the scales of which the platform is a part, will indicate the weight of the material in the pan. As soon as the weighing operation has been completed the operator shifts valve 24 so as to direct pres Isureagainst that face of the piston 30 nea rest toggle 14. Thus rod 29 will be shifted -to pull on the toggle and will lift arm 13 and-rotate shaft 11. Arms 10 will therefore swing so as to lift the counterweights fl-5181111 lower the hangers-4 and 6. This iwill' cause the hangers to swing apart and .the'members 3 and 7 of the weigh pan to c'orrespondin ly move away from each other as shown in igure 2. The material in the panwill; thus be dilivered to the chute 32. :=The-power'ca n then be reversed in the eniigineso as to return the parts to their initial positions, this return being assisted by the rweights1 2. p I Obviously by the use of power the mov- Fable portions of the pan' can be shifted ir- --resp'ective ofthe weight of the contents of the pan and the proper operation of the weighing apparatus under all conditions is therefore insured. The cylinder 20 and-the piston- 31 cooperate to form a cushion or dash pot whereby the speed of operation can be controlled and ounding of the mechanism is avoided. y utilizing the toggle Mand'thestop 17 the movable portions of the pan are supported securely even though the'pressure should fail. The speed of operation can be controlled by shifting the valve 27.

What is claimed is 2- 1. The combination with the platform of weighing scales, of movably supported hingedly connected members suspended from the platform and normally closed together to form a weigh pan, counterbalanced means connected to the members of the weigh pan for holding them in normal position, and fluid cushioned pressure operated means for shifting the counterbalanced iin means out of normal position to release the weigh pan from its normal position. I

2. The combination 'with-the platform of weighing scales, of a weighpan movably suspended therefrom andcomprisin'g connected members normally' closed together,

- counterbalanced means tor -holding the weigh pan in' normal-positiorfl means for fastening the counterbalanced means against movement under the-weight 'of the load in the pan, and fluid cushioned pressure 'operated means for releasing and actuating the counterbalanced means to lower the pan out of normal position. 5

3. The combination with the'platform of weighing scales, of movably [supported hingedly connected members suspended from the platform and normally closed together to form a weigh pan, counterbalanced means connected to the members'fofthe Weigh pan for holding'them' in normal position, means for fastening thecounterbalunced means and the weigh pan :1 ainst movement under the weight of a load and pressure operated means for releasing and actuating the counterbalanced means to release the pan from its normal position.

4. The combination with the platform of weighing scales, of opposed members movably suspended at their outer ends from the platform and hingedly connected adjacent their inner ends to each other, said members cooperating to form a weigh pan, counterbalanced means for normally supporting the connected ends of the weigh pan members, and pressure operated means for shifting the counterbalanced means to lower the connected ends of the weigh pan members out of normal position.

5. The combination with the platform of weighing scales, of opposed members mov ably supported at their outer ends from the platform and hingedly connected at their inner ends, said members cooperating to form a weigh pan, means for normal] supporting the connected ends of the weigh pan members, and power operated means for releasing said supported connected ends for downward movement under the weight of the contents of the weigh pan.

6. The combination with the platform of weighing scales, of opposed members movably suspended at their outer ends from the platform and hingedly connected at their inner ends to form a weigh pan, counterbalanced means for supporting the weigh pan at the connected ends of the members thereof, a toggle movable with said counterbalanced means, a stop for holding the toggle past dead center to secure the counterbalanced means against movement under the weight of the load in the pan, and power operated means for shifting the toggle to release the counterbalanced means and the pan.

The'combination witlrgtheplatformnf weighing scales, of "opposed members movably suspended-at their outer ends from the platform'andhingedly connected together at their inner ends to form a Wei h pan, counterbalanced means-tor normal y supporting; the members i at their=hingediy connectedendsj'a toggle movable'with said counterbalanced means, means for holding the togglepast the dead centerto-securethe counterbalanced means against movement,

' monnted at their outer ends' a'n d suspended from said structure, said' 'Iriembersbeing "hingedly; connected at their inner ends. to form a pan, means-for sflpportingthe hingedly connected ends of the members to hold them closed together, and power operated means for actuating the supportin means to lower the hingedly connected en s of the members and deliver the contents of the pan downwardly between the members.

9. The combination with a supporting structure, of opposed members movably suspended at their outer ends from said structure and hingedly connected at their inner ends, said members cooperating to form a pan, counterbalanced means for supporting the members at their hingedly connected ends, and power operated means for over coming the counterbalanced means to allow gravitation of the hingedly connected ends of the members and movement of said members about their respective outer and sup ports.

10. The combination with a sup orting structure, of opposed members mova 1y sus pended at their outer ends from the structure and hingedly connected at their inner ends to form a pan, counterbalanced arms, connections between the arms and the inner ends of said members for holding the members normally closed together to retain the contents of the pan, and fluid cushioned power operated means for shifting the counterbalanced means to release those portions of the members supported thereby.

11. The combination with a supporting structure, of opposed members movably sus pended at their outer ends from the structure and hingedly connected at their inner ends to form a pan, counterbalanced arms, connections between the arms and the inner ends of said members for holding the members normally closed together to retain the contents of the pan, a toggle movable with the arms, a fluid cushioned pressure operated engine for shifting the toggle to raise or lower the counterbalanced arms, and a stop for the toggle for holding said toggle with its intermediate joint past the dead center, thereby to secure the arms against movement under the weight of the pan and its load.

12. The combination in weighing scales of the class described, of a weigh pan having portions movable relatively to open or close the bottom of the pan, power operated means for actuating said portions to open or close the pan, and cushioning means for controlling the operation of said power operated means.

13..7The combination with a weigh pan having portions movable relatively to each other to retain or deliver the contents of the pan, of power operated means for actuating said portions, and cushioning means for controlling the operation of said power operated means.

14. The combination with a weigh pan having portions movable relatively to each other to retain or release the contents of the pan, of power operated means for aetuating said ortions, said means including a toggle, an means for holding the toggle ast its dead center to support said portions in load retaining position.

15. The combination with a weigh pan having portions movable relatively to each other to retain or release the contents of the pan, of power operated means for not eating said portions, and cushioning means for retarding the actuation of the relatively movable portions in the event of failure of the power operating means to function.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto alh'xed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL I". LEPLE Y.

Witnesses:

W. H. Sorsson, .CHAS. L. BARR. 

